Special gifts from the workshop /kitchen/ sewing room of ...

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here’s nothing you can give someone for Christmas that’s more personal than something
you make. It says volumes. It says you’ve taken the time necessary to make the gift
and not just ordered something online. It says you think enough of the recipient
to make something just for them. Whether it’s something from your kitchen that’s
made from an old family recipe or a woolen scarf or a smooth and shiny wooden train
that’s just right for a toddler – the fact that you’ve made it makes it special
– even if it’s a fruitcake.

Try looking in grandma’s cookbook for recipes that she was known for. Did she write
notes to herself about shortcuts or alternate ingredients that made the dish “hers”?
Scan or photocopy the actual recipe and include a copy with your version.

Include a reusable storage container with your present and customize it if possible
– using ink or marker that will stand up to the rigors of a dishwasher.

Another way to wrap a food package is with, of all things, a dish towel – that you’ve
made, or at least modified. You could just embroider the recipient’s initials or
a phrase such as “Pam’s Kitchen” or stencil a design using fabric paint.

Making that train would be an ideal project if you have a workshop. You could start
out with an engine, a car or two and a caboose and then add a new car each Christmas
for years to come – even after your recipient is much older they’ll still appreciate
the tradition and workmanship… and possibly have children of their own to pass it
along to. There are all sorts of plans online for wooden trains, cars and trucks
and other items that can be made in manageable steps over a period of several months.

One possibility would be to involve a grandchild in making a present for their dad
or mom. You do the things that need to be done safely but let them do the sanding
and staining or painting. They’ll not only learn some basic woodworking skills but
love to be spending time with you – and to have a “secret” that only you and they
know about.

Faygo soda ( a regional line of soft drinks) had a commercial that included the
line “remember when you were a kid/ well part of you still is…”. So think back to
the days when you got to work with granddad or grandma on a project. Share that
experience with the kids in your life even if you’re not their granddad or grandma.